The Federal Government on Monday said it is working out administrative procedures and the release of funds for the evacuation of Nigerians affected by the ongoing crisis in parts of the Middle-East East.
The decision comes amid escalating tensions in the region, triggered by missile and drone attacks linked to Iran, which have raised security concerns across several Gulf nations.
This follows coordinated military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, told our correspondent that arrangements for evacuation were ongoing.
“The government is working out the necessary administrative details and the release of funds to commence evacuation,” he said.
The update follows earlier concerns over the safety of Nigerians stranded in countries including Iran, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar, among others, after regional hostilities disrupted flights and travel plans.
Last week, the ministry told The PUNCH that its immediate priority was Nigerians in the most vulnerable areas, particularly those in Iran and Israel, where the security situation has made evacuation more complicated.
The ministry had explained that the evacuation process from Iran involves significant logistical challenges, including transporting stranded students from various universities to the Armenian border and meeting entry conditions set by Armenian authorities.
It further noted that the government was exploring different evacuation options, including the possibility of deploying Nigerian Air Force aircraft, although the volatile security situation in the region had made it difficult to secure flights.
The ministry also added that most of the Nigerians stranded in Qatar were transit passengers whose flights were disrupted, but who were being taken care of by their airlines.
Giving updates to The PUNCH, Ebienfa stated, “Qatar Airways has started operating flights to Nigeria. There was a flight to Lagos today (Monday) from Doha.
“So, in a few days, the category of Nigerian stranded due to transit flights that were affected by the crisis will all be in Nigeria. This is in addition to flights to Cairo, Egypt and Nairobi, Kenya that included some Nigerians.”
On Saturday, the Ministry of Defence of the UAE confirmed that its air defence systems intercepted multiple ballistic missiles and drones launched from Iran.
The ministry disclosed that its air defence systems engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 unmanned aerial vehicles on March 14, describing the incidents as part of a broader wave of attacks since the beginning of what it termed Iranian aggression.
Authorities also confirmed that casualties from the attacks included residents and foreign workers from several countries, with six people reportedly killed and more than 140 others sustaining injuries of varying degrees.
The UAE Ministry of Defence had earlier stated that its forces remained on high alert and ready to respond to any threats to the country’s security.
Since the beginning of the hostilities, the ministry said its air defence systems had intercepted 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and about 1,600 drones launched from Iran.
Officials said the casualties recorded involved individuals from multiple countries, including Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia and Sweden.
Ebienfa further informed The PUNCH that the Nigerian who was injured “has been treated and discharged.”
Iran backs FG
Meanwhile, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Nigeria, Gholamreza Raja, has said the Iranian government is willing to cooperate with Nigerian authorities to facilitate the safe departure of Nigerian nationals who may wish to leave the country.
Raja, in an exclusive chat with The PUNCH on Monday, stressed that Iran remained committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of foreign nationals, including Nigerians, currently residing in the country.
According to him, the Embassy of Nigeria in Tehran has already taken necessary steps to assist all foreign citizens and has continued to maintain communication with members of the Nigerian community.
“Naturally, the Nigerian Embassy in Tehran has taken the necessary measures to assist and support its nationals, and it remains in contact with members of the Nigerian community to provide guidance where needed,” the ambassador said.
He added that the Iranian government is ready to cooperate with relevant authorities to make travel arrangements easier for Nigerians who may choose to leave the country.
“At the same time, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to cooperate in facilitating the departure of Nigerian nationals if they wish to leave the country,” Raja stated.
The envoy explained that Iran’s land borders with neighbouring countries remained open and are currently being used by foreign nationals for travel.
“Currently, Iran’s land borders with neighbouring countries are open, and normal movement through these routes is ongoing. Many foreign nationals are already using these land routes for travel or departure.
“Reports indicate that the routes are safe and can be used without difficulty. Nigerian citizens can therefore make use of these routes if they choose to do so,” Raja said.
Speaking on the number of Nigerians living in Iran, the ambassador said available estimates suggest that several hundred Nigerian nationals reside in the country, with many of them studying in Iranian institutions.
“According to available estimates, several hundred Nigerian nationals live in Iran. A significant number of them are students, some of whom are studying at Iranian universities or educational institutions under scholarship programmes,” the envoy said.
The ambassador explained that the exact number of Nigerians in Iran is difficult to determine because not all citizens formally registered with the Nigerian embassy.
He added that some Nigerians in Iran are involved in small-scale commercial activities.
“In addition, a number of Nigerians are engaged in small-scale commercial and business activities.
“The exact number may vary, as not all nationals formally register with their embassy,” he said.
“Some Nigerian citizens travelled to Iran for short-term or long-term educational programmes, training courses, or religious pilgrimage, and later return to Nigeria. For this reason, the number of Nigerians present in Iran may fluctuate over time,” the ambassador explaned.
Emirates suspends flights
Meanwhile, Emirates Airline has again announced the temporary suspension of all flights to and from Dubai, advising passengers not to go to the airport until further notice.
The airline issued the latest travel advisory on Monday, warning travellers to avoid going to Dubai International Airport as flight operations remained halted.
The suspension followed guidance from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority earlier on Monday, which grounded all flights operating through Dubai International Airport amid heightened tensions in the Middle-East East.
The Emirate airline initially suspended operations, but resumed after strikes from the Israel- Iran war reduced in the country. Dubai is one of the most hit in the ongoing war.
But in its latest update to passengers, Emirates said all flights arriving in and departing from Dubai remain suspended while authorities continue to assess the situation.
Emirates added that it was working closely with aviation authorities and relevant agencies to determine when it would be safe to resume operations.
The airline said, “Customers are reminded not to travel to the airport at this time and to continue checking this page for the latest updates. We thank our customers for their continued patience and understanding. The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority.”
The disruption has created uncertainty for thousands of travellers who rely on Dubai as a major global transit hub, including many passengers flying between Nigeria and other international destinations.
The latest suspension comes in the wake of escalating tensions in the Middle East following United States and Israeli strikes on Iran, which the US President, Donald Trump, described as a “major combat operation.”
The conflict has forced several international airlines to reroute or suspend flights that typically cross the affected airspace, leading to widespread disruptions across the global aviation network.
Only recently, Emirates had resumed skeletal operations on its Dubai–Lagos–Dubai route on March 6, 2026, offering limited flights after earlier disruptions.
However, even before the latest suspension, many Nigerian passengers who had purchased tickets prior to the earlier halt in operations were already grappling with unresolved refund requests.
Travel agents say numerous refund applications submitted on behalf of affected passengers have yet to be processed, leaving travellers stranded between waiting for refunds or uncertain travel rescheduling.
The prolonged uncertainty has also begun to affect business activities linked to travel to Dubai, a major destination for conferences, trade events and tourism for many Nigerians.
Several conferences and business meetings scheduled to hold in Dubai have either been cancelled or relocated to other destinations, while travellers continue to approach Emirates seeking refunds for unused tickets.
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